Depending on their origin, sedimentary phosphate
rocks (PRs) may differ in their P solubility, and, as a consequence, in their
agronomic effectiveness. The effect of six phosphate rocks (PR) - originating
from Algeria (ALG), North Florida (FLO), North Carolina (NCA), Senegal (SEN)
Morocco (MOR) and Hyperphosphate (HYP) with various P solubility (evaluated by
2% formic acid, 2% citric acid, and neutral ammonium citrate) - as well as
single superphosphate (SSP) and superphosphate + lime (SSP + Ca) (each P source
on 4 P levels, with doses of 0, 100, 400 and 1600 mg P
2
O
5
·kg
-1
soil) on the shoot yield of tillering stage spring barley, soil available
P (i.e. H
2
O, Olsen, Bray1, Lakanen-Erviö (LE) and ammonium lactate
(AL) extractable P contents) were studied in pot experiments set up with acidic
sandy soil (Nyírlugos, Hungary) and acidic clay loam soil (Ragály, Hungary),
both with low P supplies. The average
spring barley shoot yield at the beginning of shooting was 95% higher on the
colloid-rich acidic (pH
KCl
: 4.5) clay loam soil than on the
colloid-poor acidic (pH
KCl
: 3.8) sandy soil. The differences in the
solubility of phosphate rocks showed close correlation to the differences in P
responses. On both soils, the correlation between total PR-P added and P
responses in spring barley shoot yield was much weaker than that between
neutral ammonium citrate soluble PR-P added and P responses in spring barley
shoot yield. When phosphate rocks were applied as P sources, the comparison of
soil test P methods showed a different picture on the two soils. In the case of
the acidic sandy soil (Nyírlugos), the strongly acid LE-P (r² = 0.83) and
AL-P (r² =0.74) tests gave the highest correlation coefficients with
spring barley responses to P, while on the acidic clay loam soil (Ragály) these
were achieved by the Olsen-P (r² = 0.88) and Bray1-P (r² =0.88)
methods.
Corn (Zea mays L.) leaf weight, leaf P concentrations at flowering stage, 0.01 M CaCl 2 -, Olsen-, LE-, and AL-soluble soil P contents were determined in a network of uniformed 27-year-old Hungarian long-term field trials (the so-called National Longterm Field Trials, NLFT) with four P fertilization rates on nine locations, representing various agro-ecological and soil conditions of the country.A 4 -5 fold increase in soluble P contents was found in all soil P-tests, while the absolute values of dissolved P varied greatly (CaCl 2 -P: 0.1 -3.7; Olsen-P: 3.7 -47.7; and AL-P:
3085Soil and plant P analyses data proved to be useful tools in adapting the results of long-term field trials for improved, environmentally sound fertilizer recommendations.
CONCLUSIONSThe correlation between Olsen P and corn leaf P indicate that both methods are suitable for evaluating soil and corn P status under the agro-ecological conditions of Hungary. Soil test methods less dependent of soil texture and reaction status show better correlation with plant P contents and responses to P than methods more dependent.Soil and plant P analyses data are useful tools in adapting the results of long-term field trials for developing fertilizer recommendations.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTSThe scientific board for planning and development of the the experiments included Professors G. Láng (chairman), E
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